This invention relates to a cleaning device for use in an electrophotographic apparatus for removing developer toners remaining on a photosensitive element.
In an ordinary electrophotographic apparatus, an electrostatic charge pattern corresponding to a light and dark image of an original to be reproduced is formed by suitable means on a photosensitive element and then developed by depositing developer toners thereon. After being transferred by suitable means onto a receptor sheet the developed image is fixed by fixing means to the sheet to form a finally reproduced image. The developer toners remaining on the element are removed by a cleaning device therefrom so that the photosensitive element is ready for repeated use.
A cleaning device has hitherto been known which has a cleaning member comprising a brush, an elastic blade or an elastic roller to be placed in sliding contact with the photosensitive element to remove the developer remaining thereon. Such a cleaning device has disadvantages that toners or carriers are apt to be attached to the cleaning member and thus there is a difficulty in keeping its high cleaning ability for a long period, and that the cleaning member has to be contacted with the photosensitive element under a relatively high pressure thereby resulting in the damage of the photosensitive element and the decrease in the life thereof.